ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Neurol.
Sec. Headache and Neurogenic Pain
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1517942
This article is part of the Research TopicInnovative Approaches to Neuralgia: Mechanisms and Treatment DevelopmentView all 13 articles
The S-Shaped Association Between Dietary Caffeine Intake and Severe Headache or Migraine: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on NHANES
Provisionally accepted
- Department of Anesthesiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
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Background and purpose: Severe headache or migraine is a highly prevalent neurological disorder that significantly impacts the daily lives of those affected. Currently, there remains a debate regarding the relationship between daily caffeine intake and severe headache or migraine. This study aims to determine the relationship between caffeine intake and severe headache or migraine to inform dietary interventions.The study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 1999 and 2004, involving a total of 5,234 participants aged 20 to 49 years. A multivariable logistic regression model was employed to examine the relationship between dietary caffeine intake and severe headache or migraine. A restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression model was used to explore potential dose-response relationships. A smoothed two-piece logistic regression model was applied to identify threshold associations between dietary caffeine intake and severe headache or migraine. Subgroup regression analyses were conducted to investigate whether the impact of dietary caffeine intake on severe headache or migraine varied among different subgroups.Results: Among the 5234 participants, 26.69% (1397/5234) had severe headache or migraine.Compared to individuals with lower caffeine intake (quartile [Q]1, ≤1.81 mg/d), those with higher caffeine intake in Q2 (1.81 -45.48 mg/d), Q3 (45.48 -125.95 mg/d), and Q4 (≥125.95 mg/d) had adjusted odds ratios for severe headache or migraine of 1.1487 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9532-1.3845, p = 0.1454), 1.4370 (95% CI: 1.1921-1.7335, p = 0.001), and 1.5642 (95% CI: 1.2842-1.9067, p < 0.001), respectively. The relationship between dietary caffeine intake and severe headache or migraine in U.S. adults exhibits an S-shaped pattern, with a turning point at approximately 97.5 mg/d.These results suggest an S-shaped association between dietary caffeine intake and severe headache or migraine. Individuals who routinely consume caffeine in their diet should be vigilant about the risk of experiencing severe headaches or migraines.
Keywords: Caffeine, Severe headache, Migraine, Cross-sectional study, NHANES
Received: 27 Oct 2024; Accepted: 30 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Liao, Lin, Junjian, Zou, Chen, Liu and Zhou. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Zhidong Zhou, Department of Anesthesiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
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